Professors from the University of Pennsylvania and PMAS Arid Agriculture University explored the effect of COVID-19’s impact on mental health and found that that social isolation, especially if it occurs in an abusive environment, can produce short and long-term effects on mental health such as depression and anxiety.

Looking into the past at the SARS outbreak of 2003, a study conducted by the General Hospital Psychiatry medical journal shows that 30% of the population in Hong Kong infected with SARS developed PTSD and other depressive disorders 30 months after they caught the disease. Additionally, a 2020 study conducted by the American University of Beirut found that 75% of Ebola virus victims across 10 different countries experienced depression.

Anxiety and depressive tendencies, along with other psychological issues, are common in pandemics and isolation. In fact, populations with pre-existing disorders are severely affected during pandemics where they are alone and cut off from society.

This calls for methods of communication to aid individuals in reconnecting with others. Research conducted by the Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness journal examined behavioral health during the H1N1 crisis in 2009 and states that the Disaster Mental Health Subcommittee, which put forth regulations during the pandemic, emphasized connecting with others through an alternative means.

Due to individuals relying on community support, communicative websites or help hotlines are integral for pandemic planning. According to a report by BMC Health Services on mental health during the HIV and AIDS pandemic, isolation was a leading cause for youth to develop psychological disorders. Based on past and current pandemic data, it is clear that alternative forms of communication could be used to improve the mental health of isolated individuals.